MERGER OF SEMINARIES PROPOSED Board Called To Consider Study Plan At the Executive Committee meeting held October 19, 1964 a proposal from New Brunswick Theological Seminaiy was px-esented for considerationby the Western!Seminary Committee. By a near unanimous vote, New Brunswick had expressed an interest in a possible discussion looking toward merger of the two seminaries into one new institution.
The
Executive Committee set up a special meeting at which the Investment Committee,InstructionCommittee, and the entire faculty of the school met with
was voted to adopt the px-oposed stx*uctux-e for the merger study, providing further that the committee should report its findings to the two seminaxy Boards for appx’oval px-ior to submission to the General Synod for whatever action the x-esult of their study would indicate. A special meeting of the full Board of Trustees of Western Seminaxy was called on Febniaxy 16 at which time the px-oposed stx-uctux-e for the merger study
was
discussed.
Western Grad Heads Leadership School The Mulder Memorial Chapel Western Seminary will be the scene
of of
the first wox-ship sex-vice for delegates
the ExecutiveCommittee on Monday evening, November 23 for the purpose of discussing the feasibilityof enteringinto
a study with the Board of Superintendents of New Brunswick Seminaxy as to the possibility of a merger of the seminaries.Following the discussion by these combined committees,the Executive Committee held an officialmeeting and voted that “the Executive Committee, in reply to the inquixy of the Board of Superintendentsof New Brunswick Seminary, deems it feasible to enter into a study with New Bnmswick as to the possibility of of the
a merger
seminaries.”
PresidentRidder and Chaii*manDamon of Western’s Boai'd wei*e authorized to meet with like officials of the New Bnmswick Seminary to formulate specific procedures by which to cany out the study of a possible merger. The heai-t of the px-oposal prepared by this group is that the aim of the study would be to decide the question of merger in the light of the larger question of the continuing mission of the chui-ch, with technicalmattex-srelative to the mechanics involved in a merger to be decided after the question of merger. It was fuiffher suggested that the Permanent Committee on TheologicalEducation, x’ecentlyestablished by the General Synod, R.C.A. conduct the study on this question with the x'equest that each Board select two additionalmembers from each of the Boards of Ti-ustees to sit with the Permanent Committee when the study and discussion on merger would be pursued. In a special session held by the full Board of Superintendentsof New Brunswick Seminaxy on January 19, 1965, it
The National School will end its wox-k on Satux-day, July 17. The Rev. ChristianH. Walvoord, Executive Secx-etary of the Boax-d of Education, R.C.A., is x-esponsible for the general oversight of this dynamic program for adult Christian education for the denomination.
Faculty at Bloomfield Hills The faculty of Westex-n Seminary will spend September 1-5 at the Institute for Advaixced Pastoral Studies in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan with Dr. Reuel Howe. For sevex-alyears the Institute, in cooperationwith the Americaxx Association of Theological Schools, has conducted ten-day seminars ixx the summer
fox-
faculty people from various schools. In such a seminar held last summer, President Ridder and Dean Eenigenburg were invited along with representatives of ten other seminaries holding membex-ship in the AATS. The ax-x-angements involvixxg Western's stay at the Institute compx-ise a “fix-st” in that this is the first time the Institute has ever had an entix-e faculty px-esent at one time. Reuel Howe, an internationally known specialist in teaching methods and the nature of dialogue, will constxmct a specially desigixed seminar pex-iod for the five days in which the entix-e matter of the teaching and learning px-ocess will be examined very cax-efully. Funds for this new ventux-eof the faculty are supplied by the Midland Faculty Scholarship Fund which is repox-ted in this issue of The Theolog.
Miss CharlotteHeinen, first Western graduate in the Master of Christian Education program, and director of the 1965 National Leadership
PsychologicalServices
Training School.
Psychological sex-vices been gx-eatly incx-eased at Westex-n’scampus since the beginning of the fall term.
At Western have
to the National Leadership School of the
Reformed Church on Sunday, July 11. Following the successful ox-mat of f
earlier years, delegates attending the school will be housed at Hope College dox-mitox-iesand will hold study gx-oups and sessions in college facilitiesas well as in classrooms and the commons of Westex-n Seminary. Replacing Miss Elsie Stryker,founder and competent administratorof previous schools will be Miss Charlotte Heinen, who will have completed the px-ogx-am and have been granted the Master of ChristianEducation by Western Seminary. Miss Heinen is the fix-st young woman to be graduated from this newly, structured academic program at Western.
For some time we have given psychological tests but have xxot been too aggx-essive in using them in later counsel-
ling.
With the incoming of the new
class this fall we have x-etained the sex-vices of Dr. William Kooistx-a of Pine Rest Hospital. The battexy of tests was incx-eased and for the fix-st time an initial intexwiewwas held with each of the
students who took the tests. In addition, procedures have now been establishedwhex-eby students who need or desix-e counselling or therapeutic treatment during the course of their sexxxinary training may receive it on a pro-rata
(Continued oxx Page 2)
THE THEOLOG
Faculty Scholarship Established As a result of discussionsheld by President Bidder with the congregation
of the Midland Reformed Church
at
Midland, Michigan, the “Midland Faculty Scholarship Fund” was establishedrecently.
From its inception the purpose of The Theolog has been to relate news stories that are either not released to
the general press or released there in abbreviatedform. We shall continue this as a major purpose of The Theolog. But to that purpose we want to add another. There are many factors related to Western’s life which seldom fall in the category of a news story. Frequently, they are far more important than any single event in the life of the school. Therefore, we want to use the columns of The Theolog to share some of the underlying thinking going on at Western. What are some of her major goals? What does she understand to be her major task? Questions like these are integral to. the life of a school such as ours. For that reason we hope to use this column to add to the present sources of such information,namely the report of the Presidentto the Board of Trustees and the letters of informationsent to the classical agents on education. When I leave the campus and travel to various parts of the church, I am invariably asked: “How are things going
Western?” And the questioner usually has somethingof the above concern in his mind. Or one is accosted by the individual who in the same breath will express concern for the rising costs of theologicaleducation and suggest one more thing “the boys ought to get” or some bit of help that “wasn’t given when I was there.” In addition, conferences called on the various problems facing the church usually end with some strong suggestions about what the seminaries at
ought to be doing to meet this problem. (This sometimestakes on the flavor of parents who want to educate their children to die for truths they’re not presently prepared to live for!) We don’t object to any of this. In fact,
we welcome it.
We have recently
held a. number of workshops in various areas of the chui-ch at which time we have deliberately involved a number of laymen and ministers in the discussion regarding theological education. It has been most encouraging to see the response of these friends when we shared openly with them some of our concerns
and attempted responses. Always they were reminded that the men we train today become their ministers tomorrow. For that reason we feel that they need to be very much involvedin the discussion and the process. In the forthcoming issues of The Theolog we hope to discuss some of these matters in this column. When my identification with Western began some twenty-four months ago, I suggested that the work and goals of the seminary must be closely related to the mission of the church, particularlythe Reformed Church in America. In the ensuing months that conviction has deepened. There may be a difference of opinion in the church as to what the needs of the mission really are. Some see needs not yet fully born. Others see the ministry in a transitional time. And still others are determined that the needs of yesterday’s ministry shall always continue as the needs of the ministry in any day. In the discussioncentering on these vital questions, let no ancient shibbolethparalyze us into immobility nor any modern jargon lure us off course. Our purpose remains that of trainingyoung men to stand at the juncture where the Eternal Word of God meets Today’s World of
man.
^
(Continued from Page 1) help basis established by the administration of the seminary.
Working under the assumption that a number of our problems in the ministry are psychologically oriented, it is hoped that this new program will begin to be helpful in dealing with problems before they become a matter of congregational concern later on. Student wives are also encouraged to participatein the program along with their husbands. We look for significant results in the pursuit of this program and hope that more and more we will come to see the need and impoi'tance of proper psychologicalservice as an integral part
of the preparationprocess for Christianministry.
the
Mr. Tom Werkema, vice-presidentof the Midland consistory, worked out the details of this new project with President Bidder. Dr. Corwin Bredeweg and Dr. Duane Lehman presented the details of the program to the consistory and congregation to insure the effectiveness of this unique program. The source of funds will be gifts from members of the congregation,matched by equal gifts from the Dow Chemical Company of Midland in the case of those donors who are employees of that firm. The “Dow Matching Grant Plan for Higher Education” does not require the employee to be an alumnus of the institution to which the gifts are made.
Pastor of Church
the Midland Reformed
Rev. Garret A. Wilterdink, member of the Board of North American Missions,R.C.A. and a Western graduis the
ate of the class of 1955.
Designed to enhance the teachingcompetence of Western’s faculty, the fund has great potentialfor stimulating a meaningfuleducational activity on the part of Western’s faculty in years to come.
Caravaners to Return
To Western On June 23 Western will bustle with the activity of arriving Caravaners for this summer’s training session prior to their assignment on field duties. Repeating last year’s experience,the training center for young men and women volunteering for Caravan duty through the Department of Youth Work, R.C.A. will again take place on Western’s campus. Following full schedules of activities, young people will leave in teams on Friday, July 2, but will return for a round-up and review of their summer’s work on July 31 and August 1. the
Director of the project will be the Rev. Delbert J. Vander Haar, assisted by the Rev. Harold De Roo, both associated with the Youth Department, R.C.A. From the ranks of Caravaners in previous years have come some of the ablest young leaders in the Reformed Church. All pastors and churchmenwill want to encourageyoung people in their congregation to seriously consider the challenge of this specialized summer activity. 2
THE THEOLOG
Choir Slates
1965 Concert The Christian life in action is the focus of this year’s choir program. The program stressesfour areas of Christian activity: worship and praise, Christian conduct, Christian hope and Christian service.
Under the direction of Kelvin Kronemeyer, middler from Grandville,Mich., the choir numbers thirty singing men. Their accompanist, Arnold Van Beek from Westfield, N.D., is also a middler. Officers are Ronald Vander Werf, president; Paul De Maagd, vice president; Calvin Tysen, secretary; and Marvin Schultz, business manager. The choir will be leaving Holland by charteredbus to travel directly to Denver, Colorado on Friday, February 26. In addition to singing concerts, the tour will include preaching, teaching and singing in the Denver and Chicago areas on the two successive weekends. The tour itinerary is listed below: Feb. 28 — First Reformed, Denver, Colorado
March — Prairie View Reformed, Prairie View, Kansas March 2 — Winnebago — a.m. Firth Reformed,Firth, Nebraska March 3 — First Reformed, Orange City, Iowa March 4 — NorthwesternCollege 1
Chapel Sendee, a.m. First Reformed Church, Pella, Iowa, p.m.
March 5 — Central College Chapel Service, a.m. Forreston Reformed,Forreston, 111.
March 6 March 7 — Calvary Reformed, Chicago, Illinois
Theolog readers in these areas are cordially invited to attend the Seminary Men’s Choir concerts.
In Appreciation By means
of this issue of the the administrativeofficers of Western Seminary desire
THEOLOG
to express their appreciation to the
friends of the school who made personal contributions to the work of Western Seminary during the Christmas season this year.
We
thank God for all these tangible expressions of interestand concern on the part of friends of Western in the churches and in the local community.
Choir officers planning the tour slated for the first week in March. Left to right: Marvin Schultz, business manager; Kelvin Kronemeyer, director; Arnold Van Beek, accompanist; Calvin Tysen, secretary-treasurer;Ronald Vander Werff, president and Paul De Maagd, vice president.
Executive Committee Sets Leave Policy For several yeax-s Western Seminary has had a sabbaticalleave pi’ogram in which several of the faculty members have participated.Recently the Executive Committeeof the Board appx-oved a new leave policy which will continuethe sabbatical leave program each seven yeax-s but spells it out more carefully and makes some minor revisions in the program. Some of the matters relating to the carrying out of the sabbaticaland the i-epoi-t involvedare strengthenedand moi-e carefully defined. However, the item of special importance is one having to do with the newly announced quarter leave. In the leave policy it was suggested that a leave of one quax-ter would be available any time after the first two yeax-s of seiwice on the faculty, and subsequently after each thix-d year following a sabbaticalor quarter leave. The differencebetween the quarter leave and the sabbaticalleave is that normally the sabbatical leave is intended to increase knowledge and advance study in the faculty member’s chosen field of interest.The purpose of the quarter leave will be to px-ovide opportunityfor cross-disciplinaxy study, to enhance teaching skill and px-ovide generallyfor pex-sonal and academic gx-owth in a field of study other than the primary field of the faculty member. It is suggested that faculty members
desiring to use such a quax-ter leave
may
submit their plans to the Executive Committee, One of the prime factors in deciding on the value of the plan submitted will be to determine its potential for both the faculty member and the seminary. It is hoped that the ultimateend will be the broadening of faculty interest into areas other than those of their chosen specialty. It is also entix-elypossible and specifically encouraged that some will choose to spend a quax-ter in the pastox-ate.Obviously, in an institution set aside for the training of pastox-al ministers, a continuingidentificationwith and an understanding of the pastorate as it is presentlyconstituted is of impox-tance to the teaching staff. Thex-e ax-e some essential diffex-ences between a quax-ter leave and the sabbatical leave. In the case of the quarter leave there will be no attempt made to get a replacement as is often the case with the sabbatical leave. Instead, coux-ses will be shifted and the load in the departmentwill be spx-ead among the remaining membei-s. No more than one faculty person will be allowed to take the quarter leave at any one time. In addition, thex-e is no x-otation factor to the quarter leave, as in the case of the sabbaticalleave. Highly placed sources in theological education have expx-essed their opinion that the above described quarter leave is a pace-settingmove in the impx-ovement of theological education. 3
THE THEOLOG
MISSION
WEEK AT WESTERN
R.C.A. Boards and Agencies make United Presentations On November 30 through December 2, representatives of all the Reformed Church Boards gathered on Western’s campus to relate the larger mission of the Reformed Church to the seminary student body and faculty. Planned as an intensive effort in a united way, mission week fulfilled all expectationsand achieved a meaningful impact upon the entire seminary family. At the first meeting held in the form of a supper on Monday evening at the Third Reformed Church of Holland, the Rev. Edwin Luidens, Executive Secretary of the Board of World Missions,R.C.A., discussed “Key Issues Affecting Mission.” Following the pi-esentation, group seminars met under the directionof staff pei’sonnel to discuss the relationship of each of the boards to the key issues presented by Mr. Luidens. For the Board of World Missions, the Rev. James Ebbers joined Rev. Luidens in these discussions. For the Board of North American Missions, Dr. Beth Marcus and Dr. Russell Redeker presided, and on behalf of the Board of Education were the Rev. ChristianA. Walvoord, Miss Grace Pelon, the Rev. Arthur O. Van Eck, and the Rev. Harold De Roo. In a full schedule of events held on Tuesday, the chapel service in the morning was led by the Rev. Garold Van Engen. At the first of a new series of weekly noon luncheons, the Rev. Christian A. Walvoord spoke on the subject “Key Missions Affecting Issues.” The early
Faculty Activities Between Christmas and New Year, Professors James Cook, John Piet, Richard Oudersluys, and Lester Kuyper attended the meetings of the Society of BiblicalLiterature at New York, and Professor Donald Bruggink attended the meetings of the Society of C h u r c h History at Washington.Lecturersof renown appeared during these meetings to inform the delegates on developments and thought and research in various fields of study. At the conference,the faculty made arrangementswith Professor R. de Vaux of Ecole Biblique of Jerusalem to come to our campus the weekend of April 23-25 to lecture about the Qumran scrolls and community, the excavation of which he supervised. Last year Channel Press published a book edited by Carl F. H. Henry entitled
CHRISTIAN FAITH AND MODERN
THEOLOGY in
which Dr. M. Eugene
afternoon hours were reserved for a faculty-board personnel confabulation, after which another series of group seminars under the same group leaders was held for. a different section of students and their wives. The Tuesday evening pot-luck supper at the Third Reformed Church was addressed by Mrs. J. Foster Welwood on the subject “The Women in the Church.” A last cycle of group seminars was again conducted by Board personnel.The final activity on Tuesday was a chapel service conducted by the Rev. Arthur 0. Van Eck and Mrs. J. Foster Welwood.
Wednesday morning began with a final faculty-boardpersonnel conference^ after which the Rev. Howard Teusink, executive secretary for the Stewardship Council, R.C.A. , met with the senior class and later conducted the seminary chapel service. Throughout the day opportunity for interviews with mission guest personnel was arranged. Deliberately scheduled on the opening days of the second quarter, mission week provided an opportunityfor meaningful discussions and participation with a minimum of classroom pressure, although the schedule of classes was held without interruptionduring the entire program. A high level of interest was maintained throughout the three days of the mission week and both board personnel and seminary administrators were high in their praise of the new program.
Osterhavenhas a chapter entitled “American Theology in the Twentieth Century.” Dr. Osterhaven is also listed in the Directory of American Scholars, Vol. IV, Philosophy, Religion and Law, publishedby the R. R. Bowker Company, New York, New York.
Dr. John Piet will be a principal speaker at the Thirteenth Annual Conference on Evangelical LiteratureOverseas to be held at Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois,on April 12-15, 1965. Appearing there with International figures concerned with the matter of evangelicalliterature, Dr. Piet will be speaking on “The Use of Secular Outlets — Are We Too Timid?” Dr. Piet also serves as Vice Chairman of the newlyformed Interchurch Committee set by the General Synod of 1964.
Dean of Students,Henry J. Ten Clay, has enrolled in the Michigan Training
Laboratory Institute for the spring session, February 26 to March 7. Conducted by the Michigan State University,University of Michigan and Wayne State in cooperationwith the National Training Laboratoriesof the National Educational Association,the course is an intensive eight-dayeducational program concerned with the problems with youth, organizations serving young people, relations between teachers, youth workers and community relationships. Objectivesare the increased understanding of group processes and basic teamwork, increase in leadership skills, and increase in personal awareness. Scheduled in the recess between quarters, the Institute providesan excellent opportunity for specialized training in which a new “mix” of theory, action-training, practice and analysisof behavioral patterns takes place. President Ridder has been involved in a number of speaking trips at which time also workshops have been held in Florida, California,Denver and other places. The purpose of the workshop is to carry on a discussion with lay people on theological education, and also show the seminary’s new film “The Ministry” to young people in an effort to recruit students for the ministry.
Annual Alumni Meeting Announced The Rev. J. I. Eernisse, chairman of the Alumni Association,has called the annual meeting of the alumni association at noon on Wednesday, May 26, which is Commencement Day this year. The executive committee of the Alumni Association is planning a noon luncheon of all alumni to be held jointly with the Trustees of Western’s Board, followed by presentationsby the seminary staff. The committee has also suggested that various classes hold reunion dinners at the time of the evening meal,
after
which they may hold business meetings and plan to attend the commencement service as individualclasses.The seminary will be pleased to reserve seating spaces for any class which may desire this service.
The Rev. John J. Arnold, the alumni associationrepresentative on the Development Committee, has met with the Centennial Development Committee as they have planned special events for the Centennial Year at Western. More detailed plans will be formalized by the Alumni Association executive committee at a meeting set for March 18. In addition to Chairman Eemisse, officers include Secretary-Treasurer, Rev. A. Mansen; Executive Secretary,Rev. J. C. Van Wyk; and the Rev. D. Ter Beest. 4
THE THEOLOG
Fellowship Luncheons
Begun at Western An innovation at Western which has been very well received by students and faculty alike is the all-seminary noon luncheon held each Thursday in the commons. Begun on December 1, fellowship meals have been held each Thursday with food served by the Slater Food Service, caterer for Hope College. Provided for the purpose of creating communityand an opportunity for conversationaldialogue,the luncheon program coincideswith a revision of the lecture program at the seminary. Special lecturesax-e now scheduled for the fourth hour, 11:15 until noon, on Thursdays. Immediatelyfollowing the lecture the studentsand faculty ax-e dismissed to the luncheon in the commons where the lectureris given an opportunity to answer questionsx’aised by the students and faculty after the meal is finished. The content of the lecture is frequentlythe focal point of discussion at the luncheon tables. On Thursdayswhen no special guest lecturer is scheduled, the student organizations,Adelphic and Goyim, will arrange for speakers to give addresses on specific subjects of interestto the entire seminary family. Occasionally, luncheon dates are left completely open for convei’sational purposes only. The meals ax-e subscribed on a prepayment basis and student wives are encouraged to participatewith their husbands in the program. a sense of
THE FIRST ALL-SEMINARYNOON
LUNCHEON IN
The annual Chx-istmas program of Adelphic this year featured Professor John H. Piet showing slides of mission fields around the world, an after-glow of the round-the-worldtour for which he was the director this past summer.
Alumni of Eastern Synods Meet Western Hosts Grads
at
Warwick Estates
Alumni of Western. Seminary serving churches in the three eastern synods were invited to a retreat at Wax-wick Estates on October 11 and 12. Gathering on Sunday evening following worship
Adelphic Programs Modified This year the Adelphic Society has been restructux-ed to conform with the new Thui’sday noon luncheon px-ogx-am. In January, the Rev. Ronald P. Brown, pastor of the Beverly Reformed Church of Grand Rapids, addressed the students at a Thursday noon luncheon under the
auspices of Adelphic. He compared theologicalconservatism with political conseiwatism. Questions x-aised by the addx-ess were discussedat length following the dismissalof the luncheon. In February, Dr. Duncan Littlefair, pastor of the Fountain Street Chui-ch of Grand Rapids, spoke at a similar luncheon meeting. Adelphic has planned to schedule the Rev. Herbert Taylor of the Pleasant Hill Church in Grand Rapids for a similarmeeting. In addition to providing speakers on occasional luncheon noon programs, Adelphic this year sponsoredan all-
sex-vices,infoimal discussions wex-e held with Western Seminary represented by its President,the Reverend Hex-man J. Ridder.
On Monday
monxing, October
12, Px-esident Ridder led a discussion on the life and work of the seminaxy as it re-
lates to the Reformed Church and its mission to the world in these times. Meals and lodging were furnished by Warwick Estates with Western Seminaxy as host for this first occasion for alumni in the eastern synods to gather together in a reunion. Arising out of this event was the request of the group that the officers of the nationalalumni association consider a possible organizationof regional chapters of alumni for Western Seminary. This matter is under advisement by the executive committeeof the alumni as-
THE
NEW PROGRAM AT WESTERN
Officers of Adelphic ax-e Paul Vande Hoef, president; Thomas Bx-uno, vice-
px-esident;Paul DeMaagd, tx-easux-er; John Faas, secretaxy; and Wayne Joosse, social chaix-man.
Early Report on Senior Placement The early spxdngtime, this year as every year, gives the Seniox-s a great deal of axxxiety as well as pleasure in studying the “Orange Book” vacant church lists and statistics.Each day the halls are filled with gx-oups talking about promises of calls and possibilities of calls as well as watching the list on the bulletin board.
At this point six seniors have received the longed-for “Call” (one senior has two) and ax-e now consideringwhether this is the divinely arx-anged opportunity for which they’ve been px-aying.Each Sunday some six or seven seniox-s candidate in chux-ches that ax-e looking for pastox’s. Thex-e ax-e some thirty-five or fox-ty chux-ches throughout the denominatioxx
from which seniox-s might
possbily
x-eceive considex-ation.
seminary program which featured a group of folk singers from Hope College,
Gx-aduates attending the event wex-e appreciativeof the oppox-tuxxityto meet fellow alumni in this infonxxal setting for purposes of fellowshipand inspira-
Thirty-four B.D. sexxiox-sand one M.C.E. candidatewill be gx-aduating this coming May. Of this number two are in communicationwith missionaxy oppox-tunities — one with the Wox-ld Boax-d and one with the Nox-th American Board. At least six ax-e planning to do a year or more of post-graduate work. Twentysix are hoping to enter pastoratesas ordaixxed ministex-s of the Wox-d. No doubt the Lord has use for all these, and many more, in the fields whitening unto
followedby refreshments and fellowship.
tion.
hax-vest.
sociation.
5
WESTERN SEMINARY THEOLOGICAL
•Sjo Wojj-uon: OZl '°N UBSiqo!J\[ ‘puBHOH
piBj aSB^soj -g-n
Lecture Series Continues at Western In addition to the special lectures already presented at Western the followingcalendar
has been scheduled by the Lecture Committee: April 2 — Dr. Kenneth Cragg April
15
April
20-23
April 29— Dr. Calvin VanderWerf, Hope College Lecturer-
— Dr. Richard C. Oudersluys
May — Dr. James Eelman, Series of three,
New BrunswickExchange Lectures
May
6-7
— Dr. Heiko Oberman, Series of three
26 — Commencement Speaker, Dr. Stuart Babbage
All Western alumni and interestedlaymen and ministers are cordially invited to attend these special lectures.